


Inheritance

by Choke-a-Bro (Vanya_Deyja)



Series: Baser Instincts [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Oneshot, Vampires
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:55:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28237314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vanya_Deyja/pseuds/Choke-a-Bro
Summary: Noctis is organizing a summit for the major supernatural factions and at the event intends to finally announce Prompto as his Mate.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum, Verstael Besithia/Ardyn Izunia
Series: Baser Instincts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1678522
Comments: 29
Kudos: 98





	Inheritance

**Author's Note:**

  * For [star54kar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/star54kar/gifts).



> Merry Christmas Star! Thank you so much for all your wonderful advice and company. You are wise, compassionate and funny. Hope this is worth all those sweet treats you plied me with and you enjoy it.

Prompto is nervous. Like… _really nervous_.

The next forty-eight hours could determine the course of the rest of Prompto’s immortal life.

Noctis has called a kind of supernatural summit. The first of its kind. There won’t just be vampires present this time. Both of the other ‘ _major factions’_ will have representatives at the event and, after the niceties, Noctis intends to announce to the supernatural world at large that he is officially taking Prompto as his mate.

The mark has been tickling on Prompto’s neck for months now, since the tournament in Romania last year, but they haven’t officially announced it. As such it’s a kind of open-door secret amongst the community. Most vampires are not in positions where they can ask outright and those that are have the manners to avoid the subject until Noctis formally says something. 

Ignis knows, Gladio knows and Prompto is sure at least Ardyn, Verstael, Gilgamesh and Regis know too. But them knowing and it being official are two very different things. Prompto’s a ‘ _Highness_ ’ right now but mating Noctis? That’ll make him a ‘ _Majesty’_ and that’ll bump a lot of powerful vampires a few steps down the pecking order.

Prompto knows his new position will also come with all manner of responsibilities in practice but as Noctis has never taken a mate before the specifics of what any of that looks like are murky. Ardyn is the one who’s set the precedent. Somnus and Gilgamesh established some customs but Ardyn and Verstael are the most powerful long mated couple currently living so most lore and custom is based around what they’ve established as normal.

Prompto is about to meet other supernatural creatures for the first time, as the First’s Mate no less, and to say he’s pissing himself is an understatement.

Ignis seems to notice Prompto is panicking on the plane and, fishing up his hand, whispers; “one step at a time, darling.”

Prompto forces a smile.

“Right,” he tells himself to nod along, “one step at a time.”

Prompto takes a deep breath and tries to focus.

“So, explain this to me again,” Prompto pleads, “why are we doing this in _Australia?_ ”

“Two reasons,” Ignis begins, “first: geography. Eighty percent of the human population of Australia live in ten to twenty percent of the continent, on the coastline. It would be as if most of the continental United States was unoccupied dessert. That’s a huge amount of land for us to act upon without likely interruption.”

“Oh,” Prompto digests, “that makes sense. I guess that’d make it sort of a Mecca for stuff like this, huh?”

“Exactly,” Ignis nods, “and secondly? Politics.”

“Is Australia supernaturally significant?” Prompto supposes.

“Not for the reason you might expect,” Ignis hums.

“Australia is the only country on Earth where the mortal government have official policies regarding us and negotiations with us.” Noctis stretches in his seat across from them.

“Wait—Seriously?” Prompto blinks. “I thought mortals didn’t know we were real?”

“Most mortals don’t because most governments hide it from them,” Gladio grunts. “We can’t feasibly hide from everyone at our scale but basically every formal administration works to _help_ hide us nowadays.”

“What do they get out of that?” Prompto presses.

“Vampires are the sticking point, mostly,” Ignis reveals. “There are a lot of us and we’re powerful creatures. We agree to stay out of their big picture if they stay out of our business. It’s a mutual understanding because, practically, we could decimate each other.”

“And Australia doesn’t do this…?” Prompto works back around.

“Sort of.” Ignis clarifies. “The highest parts of their government know we exist but they also tell more of their officials than any other power and set in place policies to formally negotiate and work with us. They are agreeing to host this event and as such we are agreeing to behave ourselves.”

“But…?” Prompto feels a million questions swirling. “What about Regis? I thought the New World was part of his territory. How does this impact that?”

“Let’s just say in Australia you can get more than welfare payments from the government,” Gladio grins toothily.

Prompto digests the implications there for a second. “You don’t mean…?”

“Regis’s clan live here.” Noctis confirms. “But if you are a Vampiric Resident here you aren’t permitted to hunt humans. If you want human blood you have to get it from the Australian government.”

“Can they do that?” Prompto wheezes.

“Did I mention Australia has the most organized and well-equipped vampire hunters in the world?” Ignis answers.

“No way!” Prompto reels. “That’s— _Holy shit._ ”

“Yeah, so we’ve got to watch ourselves.” Gladio warns him.

“Some vampires really like this way of life, to be fair,” Noctis posits. “It’s more of a compromise with humans and for some idealists it’s a great way to spend your immortal life.”

“There’s nothing like that in the Old World?” Prompto supposes, fascinated.

“You really think Ardyn would bend over to a human government like that?” Gladio snorts.

Prompto winces. “Fair point…”

“We will be well cared for,” Ignis assures, “but we’re going to have to use some manners. These aren’t like the humans we normally deal with.”

“Right, got it.” Prompto nods. “I— wow…”

Prompto sits with that for a moment.

Honestly it feels like every day the supernatural gets more and more complicated. On a small scale, day to day, life can seem simple but when you’re dealing with the heavy hitters like this you can get thrown into a vast world of factors.

* * *

The airport is hot and bright when they land in Darwin. Prompto finds the smell is strange and powerful. He can’t quite place it. Is it the age of the soil? The heat of the sun? It’s such a strange feeling, an oldness, and something wicked in his thick parasitic blood likes it.

They’re escorted through a private customs office, away from the humans, and the security staff are armed to a degree Prompto isn’t used to seeing. Most of them have Kevlar riot gear and their firearms are not holstered as they escort the vampires through immigration.

Prompto is shuffled in front of a customs officer on the other side of a thick, bullet proof, booth while others attend to Ignis, Gladio and Noctis.

“Passport, please.” The human asks, opening the little slot between them.

Prompto fumbles with his things and hands it over.

“Visa approval, please.” The human continues, stamping his passport.

It takes him a moment, but he finds the piece of paper from Ignis, and this time he notices the ‘ _Vampiric Resident_ ’ part of his declaration.

“Clan?” The human grunts.

“Pardon?” Prompto blinks.

“Izunia or Lucis?” The human rephrases.

They even know the clan titles…?

“Uh—I’m Lucis Caelum.”

“Thank you.” The human types something. “Age?”

“I—Sixteen?” Prompto hesitates.

“How long since you died?” The human specifies.

“Oh!” Prompto straightens. “Two years.”

The human pulls a face, a soft kind of smile, like that makes sense.

Prompto smiles back weakly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Can you tell this is my first time?”

“A little,” the human chuckles, pushing his papers back through the slot. “Welcome to Australia.”

“Thanks.” Prompto chirps, a little mystified.

He’s shuffled through to a private lounge where the others are waiting. Gladio’s arm wraps around him and the bigger vampire laughs—

“Kind of weird huh?”

“Super weird,” Prompto admits. “It’s so weird for a human to actually…”

“Yeah, I know, right?” Gladio grins.

They have to wait two hours for Ardyn and Regis’s flights to land. Both have brought retinues but Gilgamesh and Verstael have remained in their respective homes to continue overseeing the clans while the Chiefs are away on business.

“Starlight!” Ardyn is always the first one in for a hug.

Noctis let’s Ardyn lift him off his feet but Gladio and Ignis settle for fond handshakes.

“And Sunshine!” Ardyn turns enthusiastically and Prompto doesn’t seem to be able to escape the hug coming his way. He doesn’t mind honestly.

“Hi Ardyn,” he squeezes gently, “how are you?”

“I confess, Sunshine, I’m always a little out of sorts when I have to come to this hell hole.” Ardyn scoffs dryly.

“Co-existence can be profitable, Ardyn,” Regis posits as he finishes formally greeting Noctis.

“You let the livestock set the market price,” Ardyn sneers.

“Easy you two,” Noctis snorts, “we’re _guests_. Manners, please.”

Ardyn sighs but Regis stands a little straighter with his cane.

Noctis is about to speak again when a flicker passes through the vampires.

Humans enter the lounge.

Prompto can tell, just by the way she stands, that the woman in the pantsuit is in charge. She carries herself like a politician, like an official, she just has that way about her. But if she knows about them and has any real power she’s likely something more long lasting than a regular elected official.

“Gentlemen, might I interrupt for a moment?” She greets.

“Miss Claustra,” Regis smiles in that polite way of his, offering his hand. “Pleasure to see you again.”

“Regis,” Claustra shakes his hand firmly. “If you would please introduce me?”

“Of course,” Regis pivots, “Claustra this is Ardyn, Chief of the Izunia clan—”

“Thrilled and amused, Milady,” Ardyn greets snidely.

Claustra doesn’t let her expression betray her.

“—This is Noctis Lucis Caelum, the First—”

Noctis nods and Claustra bows her head just a fraction.

“—and these are the First’s coven; Ignis, Gladiolus and Prompto Lucis Caelum.”

“Pleasure to meet you, Sire Noctis,” Claustra greets primly pointedly not assuming she is allowed to touch Noctis until he offers his hand to shake whereupon she returns the gesture. “Welcome to Australia.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.” Noctis nods. “Might I ask about the nature of your position?”

“I am the current Director of Australia’s Supernatural Affairs Agency.” Claustra answers. “I will be overseeing your visit to the continent.”

“Then I’m very glad to meet you,” Noctis decides. “This is a peace mission for me and I want everything to go smoothly to that end.”

“Might I ask about your intentions, Sire?” Claustra folds her hands primly.

“Regarding?”

“Bringing together so many supernatural beings in one place.” Claustra specifies.

“I want to improve our relationships. Trade, better systems for resolving disputes…” Noctis rolls his hands. “This is a creature to creature event. We are not meeting to discuss mortals or mortal affairs.”

“Understood,” Claustra assures, “and I’m glad to hear it. My aim is to make sure we never have a war and to that end I’d like to keep us both happy.”

“You’re obviously a smart woman.” Noctis nods slowly.

“I understand the great clan feud has ended?” Claustra supposes.

“There is not yet a formal truce,” Noctis answers, “both clans are currently engaged in a cease fire.”

“Well here’s hoping you can put an end to those hostilities too, now you’ve returned,” Claustra continues carefully.

Prompto wonders if she really means that? If Claustra doesn’t want vampires or supernatural entities at large to try and conquer humanity does she really want the vampire factions getting along peacefully? It would only benefit her if Ardyn and Regis can’t form a unified army. Then again Prompto supposes she has to say that kind of stuff.

Likewise, Prompto wonders how Noctis feels about the whole thing? Vampiric fighting effects humans in the overflow. Wounded vampires need more blood, right? But Noctis has always seems more concerned with vampire-to-vampire peace than human comfort. And Prompto knows Noctis has no reservations about hunting.

Ugh, politics makes Prompto’s head spin!

Then again if he’s going to be Noctis’s mate for a long time? He might have to get used to this. He brought Noctis back into the limelight. He started this process. He would be a hypocrite to back out now.

Turns out, vampire politics?

Involves a lot more than just vampires.

“Regis tells me we are carrying out the summit in the dessert?” Noctis changes the subject carefully.

“Yes,” Claustra replies. “Lucis clan members have been readying the venue for you all a few hours out of Darwin.”

“Will you be sending hunters?” Ardyn questions pointedly.

“Military personnel will be stationed on the roads leading to and out of the event,” Claustra side steps the question, “they will be equipped to make sure no civilians interrupt the proceedings.”

“And to make sure we don’t hunt?” Ardyn scoffs.

“ _Ardyn_ ,” Regis warns tightly.

“The Federal Government has secured a generous blood donation to assure you’ll all be well fed during your stay.” Claustra once more avoids the question in a roundabout way.

Noctis is carefully, pointedly, quiet throughout the encounter.

“That is acceptable,” he declares, silencing the others as they gather up their next words. “Again, I appreciate your hospitality.”

Claustra bows her head once more, like she’s dealing with a foreign dignitary, and Prompto just knows this is a dangerous, delicate, peace.

* * *

The convoy out into the dessert is extensive. Ardyn’s bought easily thirty vampires, Regis the same, and driving all of them out to the summit site with military escort and luggage in tow is a process. Luckily vampires don’t _have_ to sleep.

Gladio takes the car with Regis, Ignis is with Ardyn, and Prompto sits close to Noctis in the back of black, air conditioned, SUV while Lucian vampires drive them out past the city, into the red earth, out into the literal middle of nowhere. 

“The humans…” Prompto murmurs, ringing his fingers absently.

“Hmm?” Noctis glances.

“How do you feel about the whole thing?” Prompto asks outright. “About never hunting humans?”

“I suppose it makes sense,” Noctis shrugs. “I’m not particularly passionate about it one way or another. I don’t long for easy co-existence like Regis but I don’t loathe the idea working with the humans like Ardyn does either.”

“I guess that’s a good thing,” Prompto hums.

“Is something wrong Prom?” Noctis frowns.

“No, I just…” Prompto struggles to find the right words. “If you could get blood without ever hurting anyone would you still want to hunt?”

“I don’t know.” Noctis shrugs.

“But Noct—” Prompto huffs, gently frustrated.

“When you were human, the arrangement we had,” Noctis supposes, “you wouldn’t want anyone else to do that? Ever?”

“T-that’s different.” Prompto flushes.

“What’s wrong?” Noctis presses. “I don’t understand why you’re upset.”

“I dunno,” Prompto confesses, “I just… I feel pretty close to my humanity still. I can understand why they’d want a proper compromise and I guess… I don’t know, some part of me wants to know you wouldn’t just eat any human willy-nilly.”

“Humans are incredible, Prompto.” Noctis promises. “But I _don’t_ understand humans.”

“But—”

“Prompto, I’ve _never_ been human,” Noctis stresses. “I formed like this. I can sympathize with them, I can appreciate them, but I don’t really understand them. Do you understand dolphins? Or gorillas?”

“Humans are as smart as us, as complicated,” Prompto stresses.

“I know they are,” Noctis promises, “but they’re very different to us too. Maybe some of them don’t deserve to get eaten, fuck maybe _none_ of them deserve to get eaten, but I have to eat, Prom.”

“But maybe we could have a system,” Prompto argues feebly. “Some way of deciding who—”

“I don’t think the world works in moral absolutes, Prom.” Noctis murmurs, still gentle. “Besides, even if we could come up with a system like that how are we going to enforce it?”

 _Enforce it_...?

Oh…

Would humans give up people they picked to eat?

How would they punish vampires who did the wrong thing?

Prompto starts to feel a million problems unravel in his head.

“Well…” Prompto fumbles, words drying up. “I don’t know…?”

“I don’t either,” Noctis admits.

Prompto sighs. “Sorry, I know I must sound crazy, I just…”

“You don’t sound crazy,” Noctis laces their fingers. “You sound like someone with a really big heart. I think you’re the kind of vampire who will solve all sorts of problems over the rest of your undead life, Prom. But you can’t solve every problem at once, ya know?”

“Heh, yeah…” Prompto snorts weakly.

“Let’s make some allies today.” Noctis encourages. “And we’ll worry about fixing the food chain tomorrow. Deal?”

Prompto takes a deep breath.

“I think I’m just nervous about—” Prompto’s eyes flicker to the drivers for a split second, “-about the _announcement_ , you know?”

“Me too,” Noctis admits. “I think we’re in for a lot of stress.”

“You sure you want to bother?” Prompto half jokes.

“For you?” Noctis squeezes his hand. “Absolutely.”

Prompto feels his gut flutter.

Noctis is a good creature, kind in so many ways and certainly not inherently bad. But Noctis is also a vampire and he has to eat. He loves Prompto and fretting about what if scenarios is pointless. Noctis doesn’t hate humans and that’s wonderful. Prompto understands them better than Noctis does and he can show Noctis, he can explain to Noctis, and together they can make changes for everyone. But he needs to be patient, not try to move the world in a single push, and he needs to be sympathetic to the fact that, through no fault of his own, Noctis has a different experience to him. Noctis wants to learn and understand, and he would never try and do something purposefully cruel to anyone, that’s what matters.

Who would figure Prompto could get so ambitious?

So much for the homeless dumpster kid, eh?

“Is it going to be like in Romania?” Prompto asks, trying to change the subject in his head as much as the atmosphere in the car. “The summit I mean?”

“No tech. Complete black out.” Noctis shakes his head. “We’ll drop the cars at one site and hike a little further out still. We’ll be in a vast, empty, bowl of sand.”

“No cell phones? _Nothing?_ ” Prompto winces.

“Nothing.” Noctis maintains. “Our guests are—Well, neither of the other major factions are as modern as we are.”

“In Romania, the camera guy I met, Dino? He told me a couple of stereotypes but I’m not sure how true they are?” Prompto admits.

“Fae Folk, as a whole, hate tech. Iron hurts them, that’s true, and so it’s really a safety thing we don’t bring any devices we don’t desperately need into the camp.” Noctis shrugs. “Shifters on the other hand are more…”

“Shifters? Like werewolves?” Prompto supposes.

“Sort of,” Noctis nods. “Shifters can be werewolves but it’s basically anyone who can transform themselves from one form to another. They’re across every human culture, like us, and they take a lot of different forms. Usually animals.”

“Okay, so,” Prompto puffs himself up, “how do I avoid offending our guests?”

“Just ask questions, listen, be your sympathetic self.” Noctis encourages. “I’m sure they’ll love you.”

“You’re biased,” Prompto shoves him.

“Very much so,” Noctis grins, shoving back.

Prompto laughs but he is nervous.

He’s nervous about offending the Fae or the Shifters, he nervous about what the other vampires will say when he reveals his mating mark, he’s nervous about running into vampire hunters and a million other much smaller things.

But he’s also really excited, in his core.

How often do you get to meet fairies?

* * *

The camp is almost ten hours out of Darwin near a secluded ravine, that only sometimes holds water of any description, amongst thick red sand. They leave the cars a good two or three hundred meters away and walk the rest of the way.

Their human guards have fallen back but Prompto can still make out the shape of their vehicles on the line of the horizon. There’s not exactly anything else competing to blur the line of sight.

The camp itself is, in some ways, like the Romania tournament camp. Big tents, crates of supplies… but there aren’t any store fronts this time and the camp is essentially split around the nexus of a large fire pit.

There is water in the ravine and, in it, an assortment of beautiful, odd angled, creatures Prompto assumes are Fae folk. Some of them look close to human, some pointedly _don’t_. Goblins, sprites, palm pixies and human sized elf like beings; they’re all here.

Across the fire pit are also green canvass tents, contrasting their vampiric white ones, and these come in a wider variety of mismatched sizes. It’s not vampiric perfection. It’s lackadaisical organization. It’s cheap and humble and the Shifters milling about the tents all look very, very, human. They have imperfect faces, mortal heart beats, sweat and messy hair. They’re hardly dressed, where they’re dressed at all, and walking through the camp Prompto finds more than one Shifter curled up with this or that animal companion. Prompto spots a wolf looking miserable in the heat, a little girl fanning him with a paper fan, and a fucking massive lizard lounging on a slab of rock near the bonfire.

There are no formal introductions.

The vampires arrive, commence setting up their shit, and the other factions lazily traipse across the distance to introduce themselves like this is a family barbeque and not a grand supernatural summit. 

Ignis and Regis are managing most of the actual details. Making sure their blood is stored safely, making sure everyone has a tent, making sure their ‘cousins’ in the other camps have enough water and food. Particularly the Shifters it seems. Do Fae folk not need food?

Prompto tries, sheepishly, to stay out of the way as creatures flock to meet Noctis.

“Prom!” Gladio calls. “Hey! Prom!”

Prompto crosses the divide curiously.

Gladio is with a dark skinned, frizzy haired, creature of some description. Prompto would call her a woman but she’s too precise and exaggerated in her features to be mortal even if her aesthetic is decidedly not the vampiric idea of beauty.

“Prompto this is Sania,” Gladio introduces, “she’s head of the Fae Folk camping with us.”

“It’s very nice to meet you,” Prompto offers his hand.

Sania’s hands are soft, unnaturally soft, like his.

“You must be Noctis’ new foundling,” Sania supposes, shaking his hand stoutly. “It is very nice to meet you too.”

“Your clothes look so…” Prompto’s vampiric eyes appreciate the inhuman precision of the meticulous weaving in Sania’s earthen coloured robes.

“Thanks, they’re organic!” Sania laughs warmly.

“I don’t actually know much about Fae,” Prompto admits, “you can probably tell, but I’m pretty green.”

“We like green things, Darling,” Sania promises, slipping an arm around him warmly. “You should’ve seen baby Gladio. He thought he was _so_ charming.”

“Made friends with you, didn’t I?” Gladio huffs, amused.

“You did, you did,” Sania chuckles.

“I can’t wait to learn more,” Prompto grins, “and get gossip about baby Gladio.”

Sania grins wickedly. “Mischief. Another thing we like.”

“Really?” Prompto supposes.

“Vampires are married to humanity, you need each other,” Sania crosses her fingers demonstratively, “but Fae are married to nature. We need her. And she’s a mean, sneaky, bitch sometimes.”

Prompto can’t help it; he laughs, stuffing his knuckles in his mouth.

“Oh you’ve got a good laugh,” Sania delights. “Lots of joy in your heart. Don’t suppose you’d donate some laughter to us?”

“Donate?” Prompto snorts, confused.

“Sorry Sania,” Gladio steps in gently, “no Fae deals with Prompto. He’s too young to know the risks.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Sania sighs. “But!” She taps Prompto’s nose. “I’ve wrangled a couple of Shifter kids into helping me catch frogs in the ravine. Want to help? Please help. It’ll be fun.”

“There are frogs out here?” Prompto reels.

“Toads,” Sania corrects, “cane toads.”

“Aren’t they, like,” Prompto scours his old human biology knowledge, “invasive? Yeah! Invasive?”

“They are indeed,” Sania grins. “They do not belong here. Some silly little mortal imported them. So we’re going to catch em all up and fry em.”

“Does toad taste good?” Prompto fumbles.

“It does when Fae folk cook it.” Gladio grins. “ _Anything_ tastes good when Fae folk cook it.”

“Okay! I’ll help!” Prompto laughs.

“Well lose the stiff shirt and come on over,” Sania invites, “okay Darling? Just over there.”

“Yeah, sure, one sec.” Prompto hurries off to get changed as the afternoon sun starts its downward descent.

When Prompto arrives at the ravine Sania is orchestrating the Shifter teenagers into little packs but some of the young ones are more interested in playing in the water or interrogating the goblins. One little boy seems delighted at all the dirty jokes he’s learning.

Prompto feels a little out of place but Sania quickly directs him to his corner before he can think about backing out gracefully.

He’s with a Shifter teenager, a girl. She’s white and blonde haired, like him, but she has delightfully imperfect mortal features. Evidently Shifters don’t live centuries.

The girl whips back around, hair flopping in her half damp ponytail, and Prompto smells sweat and musty ravine water on her. He also smells a strange, exotic, kind of blood in her veins but he suppresses that thought.

“Behold! A cane toad!” She grins widely, teeth just a fraction not-right by vampire standards.

Prompto laughs dumbly.

“What do you say when presented with a cane toad?” Prompto asks.

“You say _ew_ or _gross_ or something.” The girl laughs waggling the fat, ugly, thing at him.

“He is pretty gross,” Prompto admits.

“Go give him to Sania?” The girl thrusts him out at Prompto. “I’m gonna wrangle another one.”

“I could probably catch them faster,” Prompto offers, “if you want?”

“That won’t be as much fun,” the girl snorts, dumping the toad in his hands.

Prompto laughs and goes to put the toad in Sania’s bucket.

As he returns the girl is looking for another.

“I’m Prompto,” he greets.

“Hi Prom,” the girl whips back around nonchalantly, “I’m Luna.”

“Hi Luna,” Prompto grins so wide he forgets to hide his fangs.

Luna just laughs and flicks his nose. “Are you a baby vamp? You seem like a baby vamp.”

“Yeah…” Prompto laughs, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

“How long?” Luna squats in the mud in her t-shirt and shorts.

“About two years?” Prompto gets down on his knees beside her.

“That’s not long at all, and you look like you were just a baby,” Luna whistles. “Well, I’m eighteen. So mentally we’re probably the same age.”

“Vampires don’t really age mentally either.” Prompto tries to explain.

“They don’t?” Luna grunts, rustling in the mud.

“Sorta, it’s weird.” Prompto shrugs. “Shifters age though, right?”

“Yep!” Luna nods. “We’re born, we age, we die. Just like humans.”

“But not like humans.” Prompto supposes.

“Well we can do some cool stuff.” Luna winks.

“So you turn into, like, an animal?” Prompto tries not to be rude.

“Guess which one?” Luna grins, slumping back to meet his gaze.

“Uh….” Prompto thinks. “A doe?”

“Oh good guess!” Luna whistles.

“Is—you’re not?” Prompto tries to understand.

“Shifters don’t say that, it’s bad luck,” Luna explains, “we have to _show_ you our true nature.”

“Oh!” Prompto computes. “That makes sense! Sorry, I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay,” Luna promises, “that’s why I’m explaining.”

“Now I know,” Prompto laughs.

“Now you know,” Luna agrees, nodding encouragingly.

Luna and Prompto rifle in the mud.

Luna is mortal but her senses are very, very, sharp for a mortal. She seems to have a sense of hearing and smell that rivals Prompto’s vampiric abilities. Her hands aren’t as fast but she’s sharper than any human girl.

“Is Washington nice?” Luna asks as they catch frogs.

“It’s cool,” Prompt shrugs. “Where do you live?”

“We live on a farm, near the national park,” Luna answers. “Shifters don’t really live in cities. Real Shifters, traditional Shifters, reject human lifestyles and embrace their true spirits.”

“Huh…” Prompto digests. “Do you have, like, a king or anything?”

“Nah,” Luna shakes her head. “Shifters are all just independent little packs. We don’t have any real organization or anything. We’re just a large pack.”

“Then you must all be really different?” Prompto suspects.

“Oh yeah,” Luna nods, grasping a cane toad and scooping it up. “Every pack is really different.”

“Do you like it?” Prompto asks.

“Do you like being a vampire?” Luna replies.

“Yeah!” Prompto chirps.

“Well—” Luna bursts out laughing.

“What?” Prompto snorts.

“You’re not supposed to just say that!” Luna laughs. “You’re supposed to say something like _‘it’s just who I am_ ’ or something so then I can be like ‘ _yes, I feel the same_ ’, ya know?”

“I’m a baby vampire!” Prompto laughs. “This is still the coolest shit ever!”

Luna snickers. “My bad, my bad. I was trying to be deep.”

“Pft, _lame_.” Prompto shoves her legs.

Luna yelps and— “You made me drop him!”

Prompto’s hand whips out, lighting fast, and he presents the reclaimed cane toad to Luna. “Sorry!”

Luna laughs again.

* * *

Prompto feels much more relaxed when he gets changed back into his smart clothes and grabs a seat around the newly lit bonfire. Everyone is surprisingly nice. Or, at least, maybe they feel nice because they’re supernatural creatures like Prompto and they understand his feelings? Out here they can all relax. Maybe that’s put them all in a good mood?

Luna is really fun but she doesn’t own any nice clothes.

Apparently Shifters don’t believe in decadence or, well, clothes in general.

That doesn’t matter.

Luna is still really fun.

Luna’s brother Ravus however?

He’s grumpy and stern and the heat really seems to be getting to him even with the sun gone.

“I don’t know why you’d want to be a vampire,” Ravus grunts, pulling the legs off a Fae fried cane toad. “Vampires are parasites. Shifters, Fae, we don’t need humans to survive, but you—”

Prompto opens his mouth but—

“Maybe we are,” Ardyn swoops in, throwing an arm around Prompto warmly. “And being a parasite is pretty bad but imagine if we were going _extinct_ ,” Ardyn presses the word pointedly. “That’d be _pathetic_.”

Ravus bunches up, obviously insulted, but Luna thwacks him hard around the head.

“Ouch! Luna!” Ravus barks.

“Maybe we can help keep each other alive in this century?” Luna smiles. “If we work together maybe one day there can be more of us than humans?”

“Now _that_ ,” Ardyn waggles his finger with a grin, “that sounds like a wonderful idea. You must be the brains of the operation, my dear, pleasure to meet you.”

Ardyn extends his hand and he and Luna shake amicably. 

“Want some cane toad?” Prompto offers.

“I want you, Sunshine,” Ardyn squeezes him close. “Noctis says he needs you for an announcement. Can we steal you from your charming friends for a little while?”

“Is it already—?” Prompto stiffens, gut backflipping. “I lost track of time! I—Yeah, of course. Luna I’ll see you more tomorrow yeah? I’ve got to—”

“It’s okay.” Luna smiles soothingly. “Have fun Prom, I’ll see you in the morning.”

All a fluster Prompto laughs and let’s Ardyn escort him back into where the gaggle of vampires is tightest around the fire.

Noctis beckons him and Prompto slips to stand by his side as the other vampires settle into their seats respectfully. Prompto is sure, in his heart, that this will all be okay he’s just so nervous what people will say. But what’s the worst that can happen? It’s not like anyone else gets a say in who Noctis mates, right? He’s the First and Prompto’s pretty sure it’s obvious to everyone with eyes that they’re desperately, stupidly, in love.

Ardyn is here, Regis, Ignis, Gladio, the other representatives…

Prompto waves weakly to Nyx who gives him a warm thumbs up from the outer rows, smile big and friendly.

Prompto swallows his nerves.

What’s the worst that can happen?

“I need to make a formal announcement, for the sake of clarity,” Noctis supposes simply. “I don’t think it will come as any surprise to most of you but Prompto and I have formally mated.”

Ignis and Gladio sit, calm but watching, already well in on the secret. Prompto isn’t surprised to see their reassuring smiles flicker his way but…

Well, Noctis is watching Ardyn and Regis but Prompto doesn’t know where to settle his eyes. Most of the vampires here are old, better at holding their expressions, but likewise Prompto has gotten good at reading the tiny flourishes of uncapped thought and feeling now he’s more socialized as a vampire.

He thinks, maybe, it’ll be okay.

Some of the higher ranking clan members look briefly flabbergasted but they hide it well in the next second. They must’ve expected this but maybe not so soon.

What really makes Prompto nervous is when he catches sight of Nyx’s expression.

Nyx looks, just for a second, like he’s _scared_.

But Nyx turns away quickly and Prompto can’t read his features as clearly anymore.

The vampires, for the most part, are silent.

Noctis’s eyes track between Ardyn and Regis cautiously, like he’s waiting to see who will speak first or what stance they’ll take. They can’t fight Noctis, can they? That would be suicide and surely they don’t expect they have a say in who Noctis mates, right?

But this silence…

“Well if no one else will say it,” Ardyn steps forward, “I would like to extend both my congratulations to the happy couple and—”

Ardyn extends his hand, offering Prompto something from his breast pocket.

It looks like a bit of paper, folded like it’s been sitting there for a while, like Ardyn’s been waiting for this.

Noctis intercepts the offering and unfolds it curtly.

Noctis’s expression flutters, tightly, between confusion and then, in a glorious swell; irritation.

“What is this?” Noctis demands.

“Signatures from over two hundred elders, across both clans, including myself, Verstael, Regis and Gilgamesh.”

“And what’re you signing towards?” Noctis supposes. “Your undying loyalty, I hope.”

“Well…” Ardyn chuckles weakly. “It is of some concern to us that if Prompto were to sire a bloodline, given your intimate connection, those vampires might be seen or see themselves as the true successors of the First.”

“And this?” Noctis holds the paper demonstratively.

“Our expression of displeasure.” Ardyn replies, purposefully delicate but clear. “If Prompto were to sire a vampire we would consider it important to destroy that vampire. Therefore, it would be best for everyone if—”

Noctis crushes the paper in between his fingers tightly.

Ardyn pauses.

Ardyn is powerful but Prompto wouldn’t bet against Noctis when his eyes are glittering that sharply in the moonlight.

“Ardyn,” Prompto laughs, trying to de-escalate the tension. “I thought you liked me?”

“I do like you, Sunshine,” Ardyn promises. “But this is politics.”

He says it so plainly, so coldly, that Prompto is taken aback.

Prompto wants to think, in his heart, that all vampires are part of a grand family.

He, Noctis, Ignis, Gladio… they’re a coven. They’re a family. But while Noctis might see all vampires as his kin not all vampires consider _Prompto_ on the same level and obviously they prioritize their own interests.

Prompto has always known Ardyn was wild and fierce but he didn’t think Ardyn would take such decisive steps against his happiness. He thought, naively, that—

“It’s not personal, Prompto.” Ardyn promises, catching his expression.

“And what do you have to say for yourself?” Noctis rounds on Regis, growling.

“We have to think long-term, Grandsire.” Regis replies, gentle but level. “Even if Prompto has no current acolytes we have to consider that this situation could endanger our clans if left unchecked.”

“So you expect to tell Prompto, to tell _me_ ,” Noctis crushes the paper tighter, fingers grinding, “when we can and cannot sire new vampires?”

“We would not presume to give you orders,” Ardyn assures diplomatically. “This is just to express our stance formally.”

“So if you raise a mob to hunt down and kill Prompto’s children in the future I shouldn’t be offended?” Noctis spits, tossing the paper down on the ground like trash.

Ardyn shrugs simply, wary but not apologetic.

“I love you Starlight,” Ardyn promises, “but there’s no precedent for this. I am your flesh, your blood, but I have a mate and children of my own. I need to take a stance for them.”

“For your own power,” Noctis counters.

“Majesty,” Regis stands carefully, “be reasonable. We can—”

“I will not be reasonable.” Noctis flares, temper threatening to bubble over.

Prompto can see it all threatening to collapse around him.

Another war, a _worse_ war…

Prompto doesn’t want to start another war. He knows that would devastate Noctis. And they’ve only just convinced Noctis to come out of hiding and return to ruling.

Prompto is hurt, he can’t deny that, and he knows the simple solution is to roll over and consent to never siring another vampire but…

Can Prompto promise that, forever?

What if he loves someone one day? What if there’s a mortal he wants to turn, make family, protect, love… Just like how Noctis took him in and raised him out of chaos. He can’t pretend he can see the future. He can’t promise to never do something. He can’t swear he’ll never make that decision and, if he does, that’ll make things worse because he’ll be walking back a promise he made publicly.

But, more than that, Prompto isn’t some homeless kid anymore.

He’s Noctis’s mate, yes, but he also orchestrated the negotiations that led to the ceasefire. He’s a vampire, a real vampire, and he might be small and he might be young but he is an authority in his own right and—

If he’s going to be Noctis’ mate, then—

No one gets to bully him.

“I love you Ardyn,” Prompto speaks up.

The vampires flicker back to him, eyes sharp, tensions high.

Prompto has to end this.

“You are my family, we are all family,” Prompto promises. “But you, nor Regis, are my Sire or my clan leader and I am not going to take orders from you. This—vampirism is a gift I have the right to bestow on people I love, just like you, and if I were you I would not start a slippery argument about who is allowed to sire what.”

Ardyn blinks, visibly taken aback.

“Noctis is my Mate,” Prompto puts his foot down. “If you disrespect me you are disrespecting him, however you want to word it, and there are consequences to that. But I know Noctis loves you, all of you, like I do, and I am a person of peace, remember?”

Ardyn is very, very still.

They all are.

Prompto realizes, frantically, that every vampire present is hanging off his words.

He tries not to gulp.

“My children have no greater claim to supremacy than yours,” Prompto swears clearly. “I will not surrender my right to sire but I will denounce any child who tries to use my blood as a claim to supreme authority. We are not clans, we are a single family, and there are no true heirs in a family.”

Ardyn glances away, eyes flashing.

Prompto can’t imagine what he’s thinking but he must be considering his next move closely.

Ardyn’s eyes traipse back over Noctis carefully and Noctis stands a little straighter, warning.

“Heh,” Ardyn laughs, collapsing the tension.

The vampires start to ease, however nervously.

“Beautifully put Prompto,” Ardyn chuckles amicably. “You are right, of course, we’re a family.”

“So then…?” Regis wavers, easing forward ever so slightly. “You swear, Prompto, that your children will have no inherent supremacy over the other bloodlines, and you will not support a child making such a claim?”

“I said what I said,” Prompto stresses firmly. “If you don’t trust me to mean what I say, Regis, I can repeat myself or…?”

“I—” Regis fumbles, “no, of course not High—”

“ _Majesty._ ” Noctis corrects sharply, smirking ever so slightly.

“ _Majesty_ ,” Regis repeats, with a clear note of submission. “Of course, I trust your vow.”

“Thank you,” Prompto smiles carefully, trying to ease the tension but walking a fine, fine, line.

“I assume we all understand each other then?” Noctis supposes, voice thick with an unspoken threat and the authority only he can hold.

“Crystal clear,” Ardyn assures.

“Very.” Regis nods.

“Then someone get me a drink.” Noctis snaps. “ _Now._ ”

* * *

It takes everything Prompto has not to collapse into a warbling mess. He sits, he drinks his blood, and stewing in the moonlight slowly realizes this isn’t going to be the last time he has to hold a strong face against a room full of enemies.

Noctis’ loves him.

Noctis is the First.

But Prompto is not Noctis.

He does not have the same powers or the same sway as Noctis. He needs to make a name for himself, he needs to stand up for himself, and not even Noctis will always be able to protect him. There will be a lot of political storms to weather now Noctis has returned to socializing and now Prompto is officially his mate. This isn’t going to be easy and it’s not always going to be fun.

For the first time Prompto begins to appreciate that he hasn’t just accepted some gift in the form of Noctis’s love. He’s put himself in a lot of danger and, also, accepted a lot of responsibility. Not just for himself but for whoever else he chooses to bring close to himself for—Well, for the rest of his immortal life.

He’s going to have to get better at politics.

The night drags on but, eventually, the vampires disperse back to the privacy of their tents for the last few hours before dawn.

“Are you alright Prompto?” Gladio murmurs, grasping his shoulder as they enter their tent.

Prompto sags onto his knees.

“You did great,” Ignis promises, crouching down before him to gather up his hands. “I couldn’t have managed that situation better. That was a perfect thing to say.”

“I feel like jelly.” Prompto murmurs.

“Comere,” Noctis urges, gathering him up into his arms and carrying him towards their nest of bedding.

They sit, the four of them, in the peace of their tent.

“We knew they might pull something,” Ignis reasons.

“I know but I didn’t think…” Noctis sighs, rubbing his face.

“That was so intense,” Prompto groans.

“You really asserted yourself though,” Noctis turns to him. “I’m proud of you. You’re their King-Consort and they know you expect to be treated like one now.” 

“I guess…” Prompto laughs weakly.

“But that’s not going to be the last time we face trouble,” Gladio sighs.

“No and the war, for all the current peace, still isn’t officially over.” Ignis rues.

“Right,” Noctis sighs.

“I need to learn how to fight,” Prompto murmurs.

“Huh?” Noctis glances.

“I know you’d always protect me,” Prompto promises. “But you can’t be everywhere at once and, let’s face it, I’m not going to be super popular after all this—”

“I think there are a lot of young vampires who will look up to you,” Ignis counters.

“Yeah, but there are a lot of old, powerful, vampires who won’t like Prompto throwing the status quo into chaos,” Gladio agrees with him.

“Right,” Prompto nods. “So I need to be able to defend myself, just in case.”

“I don’t like to think someone would hurt you,” Noctis admits, “but you’re right.”

“Physical strength isn’t going to be Prompto’s best bet,” Ignis supposes. “His enemies will likely all be older than him. We need to find a way to level the playing field.”

“Get Verstael to show him how to use those guns,” Gladio grunts.

“Will Verstael really help with that after tonight?” Prompto hesitates.

“He’s your relative,” Noctis shrugs, “and Ardyn backed off tonight. Officially speaking you don’t have a feud going, and you’re my Mate, so it would be very rude for him to refuse your request for help.”

“Right,” Ignis concurs.

“Back to Europe then,” Prompto sighs.

“I have a feeling this is about to be an interesting year,” Gladio chuckles.

“Yeah, well, right now I just want to sleep.” Noctis groans. “I’m _exhausted._ ”

“Me too,” Prompto wheezes, slumping against Noctis’s shoulder.

“Let’s all rest,” Ignis encourages. “Tomorrow is another day.”

* * *

The next few days of the summit are a little tense but negotiations with the other supernatural entities goes well. Mostly it’s about bonding, starting discussions and building connections. They seem to do that and the others seem more willing to cross the bridge to them now the vampires have their King back.

On their last day in Darwin they decide it’s best, strategically speaking, for Prompto to approach Ardyn.

Prompto knows, logically, it makes sense.

But he’d be lying if he said things weren’t awkward as hell.

“Sunshine,” Ardyn greets, but with a new weariness inlaid into his expression.

“Hey,” Prompto slumps against him, trying to be friendly.

Ardyn catches him and bundles an arm around him, that sweet uncle sort for another second.

“Are you alright?” Ardyn checks.

“Can I ask you for a favour?” Prompto starts gently.

“Depends,” Ardyn replies, smile warm but words cautious.

“I want to learn how to shoot, like Verstael,” Prompto maintains his smile as best he can. “Could--?”

“Of course!” Ardyn assures eagerly. “Why don’t you and your coven come back with me to the Old World? You can stay with me for a few months, learn new skills.”

“That would be great, if you’d have us,” Prompto nods.

“In a heartbeat,” Ardyn assures.

But it occurs to Prompto that—

Maybe that’s unfair.

Prompto thinks, sincerely, that Ardyn does like him. But Ardyn also didn’t get to be this old and this powerful by playing nice with everyone. Their relationship is complicated in new ways now. Ardyn might be looking for ways he can use this to his advantage, sure, but he probably is happy to have them coming to stay too.

When did everything get so messy?

Looks like this is life now.

After they’re agreed on the details Prompto wanders free of the clutch back towards the ravine. There aren’t any cane toads today and, for a split second, Prompto wishes he could take the announcement back and go back to being a young, harmless, vampire.

Oh well…

He wouldn’t ever apologize for loving Noctis, so…

“Hey!” Luna jumps him, throwing her weight into him.

“Hey?” Prompto startles, catching her.

“We’re going home today, you?” Luna supposes.

“We’re onto our next trip, yeah,” Prompto shrugs, sparing her the full story.

“Well you’re cool,” Luna promises, “so be safe, yeah?”

“I’ll try,” Prompto laughs. “I don’t suppose you have a phone I can text?”

“Sorry, no tech.” Luna shrugs. “But I’d love to see you again sometime. You’re always welcome.”

“Thanks Luna,” Prompto smiles warmly.

At least he made one new friend.

And a million new enemies.

“Hear you’re mated,” Luna supposes, “to the First?”

“Yeah,” Prompto nods, “it’s kind of messy honestly.”

“Do vampires mate for life?” Luna asks.

“Sometimes,” Prompto shrugs. “But life is a pretty long time for us.”

“Well, I hope you do,” Luna promises. “I hope you’re happy and safe.”

Prompto sags a little, sincerely grateful in the face of her straight-forward kindness.

“Thanks Luna,” he manages lamely.

“You look worried,” Luna supposes. “But I know you’ll be okay.”

“Don’t suppose you have any wise advice?” Prompto asks.

“Well…” Luna considers it for a moment. “Shifters believe one thing above anything else.”

“What’s that?” Prompto wonders.

“Always follow your instincts.” Luna asserts.

“Does it work?” Prompto laughs, hopeful.

“Your heart always knows the right way to turn,” Luna promises. “Though, sometimes, what’s right for you isn’t best for everyone else. That’s just the risk you take for living honestly.”

“Living honestly,” Prompto repeats, weighing the phrase. “I’ll remember that.”

“Be safe, Prom,” Luna hugs him tightly.

“You too Luna,” Prompto gathers her up.


End file.
